InteriorNEWS THE
109th Year - Week 2 •
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
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www.interior-news.com
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103 Days To Go
A moose skeleton reaches completion after five years of work. Smithers resident Bill Jex spent the years macerating, cleaning, drying and assembling the skeleton. The masterpiece now stands in his garage as he tries to find it a new home. Story, A18. Xuyun Zeng photo
Huckleberry Mine Kitimat LNG facility suspends pit operations granted key permit By Chris Gareau Smithers/Interior News
Imperial Metals Corporation has confirmed Huckleberry Mine has suspended pit operations, laying off 100 of its 260 employees. The balance of its workforce will continue milling stockpiled ore. The mine 130 kilometres south of Smithers laid off 20 employees a month ago in an effort to reduce costs as copper prices have plummeted last year due to a decline in world demand. Huckleberry chief operating officer Randall Thompson told Black Press at the time that more layoffs were not expected for the next few weeks. Huckleberry spokesperson and Imperial Metals vice-president of corporate affairs Steve Robertson said the 120 people laid off are pit workers, including truck drivers and drillers.
“I think the point to be made here is that Huckleberry still has value. There’s ore at depth that we would look forward to in future years in the mine plant, and it doesn’t make any sense to pursue that at a loss at this time,” said Robertson. “We’re trying to preserve that resource for some time in the future when the mine can be operated at a profit.” Those laid off are being put on a call back list for rehiring on basis of seniority when prices improve. Imperial holds a 50 per cent interest in Huckleberry Mines Ltd. It also owns the Red Chris and Mount Polley copper/gold mines in B.C. Robertson said the other two B.C. mines would remain operating. Red Chris just opened in 2015 south of Dease Lake, and Mount Polley reopened last summer after a tailings pond breach in the Cariboo region. See JOBS on A9
Black Press
LNG Canada is celebrating a notable milestone in their efforts to bring their liquefied natural gas project to fruition in Kitimat. The company announced last Tuesday that the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission has granted them a facility permit which gives the company the go-ahead on construction and operation based on their technical plans. This is separate from the provincial government’s environmental review, which granted them an environmental certificate last year.
This does not mean the company has made a final investment decision to actually build the project, merely that it has a key permit in place should they move ahead. Receiving this permit is notable because the company says it is the first LNG project in B.C. which has received such a permit. “We have made excellent progress in the past two years, achieving a number of critical milestones,” said Andy Calitz, CEO of LNG Canada. “Receiving our LNG Facility Permit could not have been achieved without the important input we received from the Haisla Nation and the local community of Kitimat.” See PIPELINE on A5
BUSINESS SURVEY RESULTS RELEASED Business is good, says the survey, but labour crunch needs work.
CANYON CREEK NEEDS VOLUNTEERS Managers of the ski area want to form a society to oversee maintenance.
BV NATURALISTS GO BIRD COUNTING The Naturalists report spotting 45 species at their Jan. 3 Christmas bird count event.
NEWS/A10
SPORTS/A11
COMMUNITY/A13
Friday Only! Greenworks Dish Tablets see last page in A
By Cameron Orr and Chris Gareau
115 count
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$ 99